Apprentice to the Alpha 

Nine: Blueberry pancakes

---Josh---

I'd gotten a text late last night from Evelyn's dad, Jack, saying that Nate was injured in the rogue attack and might not make it. I knew my treasure loved her cousin, so she'd definitely be broken up over this. I considered leaving campus as soon as I woke up this morning, but I was supposed to go to that study group. I decided I'd have to wait till around 8:30 to head back to the packlands. Luckily, she normally didn't wake up on weekends until 10 or 11, and I wouldn't be surprised if she slept in even later today with everything going on.

I finally packed and hit the road on schedule, making sure to text Jack that I'd be there in about a half hour. I spent the drive listening to a Ted Talk about helping loved ones through grief. I figured I'd need assistance in being the kind of boyfriend my gem wanted right now, and listening to a professional tell me while I drove was just efficient.

When I finally arrived, I noticed everyone was still sleeping. Normally Alice and Jack were up by now, but I suppose they'd had a late night too. The girls weren’t around, I guessed that they had stayed the night at someone else’s house.

My wolf, Bryan, interrupted my thoughts, "Go find our treasure, we need to make sure she's safe." He was right, that was definitely the first order of business here.

I climbed up the stairs and looked into Evelyn's room. She was curled up in her numerous blankets and had drooled all over her pillows during the night. Her long hair cascaded off the edge of the bed and I resisted the urge to touch it in case I woke her. I watched her like that for a while, until she finally stirred about an hour later.

"Hi sweetheart, is it morning already? How was your study session?" She pulled me into bed with her.

I embraced her and told her all about lazy Larry's insistence that the study group be this morning but skipping it anyway, Stupid Steve's newest conspiracy: movies were videos of real events from other dimensions, and Timid Tina's continued inability to speak in sentences longer than 3 words. These weren't actually their names, but my treasure came up with the nicknames and I thought they were funny. And spot on.

She laughed and then her stomach grumbled loudly. "Hmm. I guess breakfast might be in order. "She looked at me lustfully, and pulled me flush against her. "I know what I want in my mouth right now though."

She was kissing me harder than she had in all our time together and I was having a hard time catching my breath. Bryan began howling as hormones flooded my body. Evelyn started fumbling with the top button of my jeans and I finally had to put up a hand to stop her.

"Evelyn I know you're going through a lot right now but I've already told you that I'm not comfortable sealing the deal until you get your wolf and know for yourself that you're mine."

Evelyn looks at me grumpily. "I know. and I'm sorry. I just. I need you right now. Besides, I already know for sure! You're literally perfect for me; if it turns out you're not my mate it'll be because the Moon Goddess is punishing me or something." She begins kissing me again as tears fall from her crystal blue eyes.

I remove her from my lips and hold her against my chest so she can hear my heartbeat to steady herself. "I know, gem. I can't wait to mark you either but it will have to wait. For now how about I make you pancakes?"

Just as we stood to leave, I heard Jack's footsteps coming down the hall. s**t. I wasn't supposed to be in here and he would definitely smell my scent in the room even if I ducked out the window right now. Thinking fast, I throw Evelyn back into bed and whisper for her to pretend to be sleeping. I manage to scramble into her desk chair as the door creaks open.

Jack sees me and looks murderous. But when he sees his daughter's 'sleeping' form and my concerned expression, his face softens. "Joshua. You know you're not supposed to be in here. That was a ground rule we set when we took you in. I'll let it fly this once though, she is really upset and I know your presence calms her. I'm grateful she has a friend like you in her life. That being said, if I catch you in here again, there definitely will be hell to pay." Thank the Goddess he didn't come in when his daughter was trying to free my d**k or this would have been bad.

Jack motions for me to follow him out of the room. "Come on, sport, make breakfast with me while you wait for her to wake up. Your blueberry pancakes are exactly what we all need to process yesterday's events."